Machines for forming metal sections or tubes



Aug. 11, 1964 L. J. NASH 3,144,071

MACHINES FOR FORMING METAL SECTIONS OR TUBES Filed June 15, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet l 1954 L. J. NASH 3,144,071

1' MACHINES FOR FORMING METAL. SECTIONS 0R TUBES 1 Filed June 15, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,144,071 MACHINES FOR FORMING METALSECTIONS OR TUBES Leonard James Nash, Llanrumney, Cardilf, Wales, as-

signor to Godins The Rollers of Steel Sections Limited, Newport, EnglandFiled June 15, 1961, Ser. No. 117,221 Claims priority, application GreatBritain, Aug. 10, 1960 Claims. (Cl. 153-54) This invention relatesgenerally to machines for forming metal sections or tubes and of thekind in which a plurality of operating units are mounted in a line upona base for successive operation upon a workpiece, each unit comprising apair or set of rollers between the nip of which the workpieces areintended to be fed.

Usually the formed sections or tubes produced by such machines arestraight lengths, but some are produced with a radial contour relativeto a vertical axis or a transverse axis or a combination of both theseaxes.

When an axially formed workpiece issues from the sets of rigidly mountedforming rolls of the machine, it is common for it to deviatefractionally from a chosen linear path due to variations in metalthickness or temper or both.

The straight or contoured workpiece, and undesired deviations therefrom,are at present controlled by adjustably mounted devices generallyincorporating one or a combination of the following, namely:

(A) Stationary guide blocks, vertically, transversely and co-axiallyadjustable.

(B) Idle guide rollers, vertically, transversely and coaxiallyadjustable.

(C) Mechanically driven guide rollers, vertically adjustable and, atpresent, transversely and co-axially adjustable to a generallyinsufficient degree.

With a mechanically powered machine it has not been practicable toadequately drive forming rollers which are adjustably moveable to thedesired degree.

In accordance with the invention therefore a straightening or contouringattachment for use with a machine of the kind referred to comprises apair of forming or guide rollers mounted on a base which is supported bya table bracket mounted or adapted to be mounted on the base of theforming machine, the base plate being angularly adjustable about any ofthree mutually perpendicular axes and also transversely adjustable,relative to the base of the machine.

Ordinarily one axis extends transversely of the feed axis of the formingmachine parallel with the base, another axis extends substantiallylongitudinally close to the feed axis and the third axis extendssubstantially perpendicular to the table bracket.

For a better understanding of the invention however, reference should bemade to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example oneparticular and at present preferred form of attachment which is shownfitted to the end of a machine for forming metal sections or tubes.

In these drawings, FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 are a side elevation, endelevation and plan view respectively, of a straightening or contouringattachment.

Referring now to the drawings, the straightening or contouringattachment is shown fitted at the delivery end of the base 22 of a metalsection or tube forming machine equipped with a number of forming rollerassemblies 30, 31 each comprising a pair of suitably contoured rollersbetween which the workpiece is formed. When a workpiece is to be formedwith a radial contour roller assembly 31 can be inclined both in avertical plane and relative to the linear axis of the workpiece.

The attachment comprises a pair of final forming rollers 3,144,07 lPatented Aug. 11, 1964 3, and 4 mounted between side brackets 1, 2 on abox section base or sub-base 5 having parallel support lugs 32 by meansof which it is hinged through pivots 7 on a pair of links 33 fitted to aswivel plate or table 6.

The sub-base 5 is tiltable in a vertical plane about pivots 7 by a screwthreaded rod 8 which passes through a universal ball-nut mounting 34fastened to the swivel plate or table 6 and including a handwheel 9 bywhich the rod 8 can be raised and lowered.

The swivel plate 6 is mounted for angular movement about a pivot pin 11upon the top of a table bracket 10 and is retained by slide gib 12bearing on its forward edge. The position of the swivel plate 6 on thetable bracket 10 is adjusted by rotation of a handwheel 13 secured tothe table bracket 10 through a universal ball mounting. The handwheel 13is coupled to a screw 14 which extends through a nut 15 pivotallymounted beneath the swivel plate 6.

The table bracket 10 is movable in an arcuate path about an axis locatedcentrally between the rollers 3 and 4. Attached to the table bracket 10are four concave V rollers 16 which engage the upper and lower curvedsurface of a segment plate 17. The table bracket 10 is adjustable aroundthe segment plate 17 by rotation of a handwheel 18 secured through auniversal ball mounting to the table bracket 10. Rotation of thehandwheel 18 turns a screw 19 which passes through a nut 20 pivotallymounted on the side of the segment plate 17.

The segment plate 17 is secured to a back plate 21 which is transverselymoveable across the base 22 of the machine upon slide bars 23 under thecontrol of a handwheel 24 secured through a universal ball mounting tothe machine base 22. Rotation of handwheel 24 turns a screw 25 whichpasses through a nut 26 pivotally mounted on the side of back plate 21.

It is to be noted that the axis of each adjustment is relatively closeto the previous set of forming rollers thus allowing the axis of therollers to be near the cross-sectional and radial contour axis of theworkpiece.

I claim:

1. In a contouring machine for elongated metal workpieces having aplurality of pairs of parallel cooperating rolls supported on the baseof the machine, said base including a longitudinally extending bracketand means mounting the bracket on the base for angular adjustmentsrelative to the direction of feed of the workpiece about a first axiswhich is substantially horizontal, a table mounted on the bracket forangular adjustments about a second axis which is substantially normal tothe first axis, a sub-base mounted on the table for tiltable adjustmentsabout a third axis which is substantially normal to the second axis, andmeans mounting one of said pairs of rolls on said sub-base.

2. In a contouring machine as defined by claim 1, further includingmeans supporting the bracket on the base for substantially horizontalshifting movement transversely thereof along a line normal to the firstaxis.

3. In a contouring machine as defined by claim 1, in which the meansmounting the bracket on the base for angular adjustments about ahorizontal axis includes an arcuate track supported on the base with itscurvature in a substantially vertical plane, roller means supporting thebracket on the track, and means for moving the bracket along the trackrelative to the base and securing it in adjusted positions thereon.

4. In a contouring machine as defined by claim 3, including meansmounting the track on the base for transverse horizontal movement normalto the axis of the arcuate track.

5. In a contouring machine as defined by claim 3, in which the means formoving the bracket along the track includes a threaded nut mounted onthe track and a threaded rod secured to the bracket extending into thenut and provided with a handwheel.

6. In a contouring machine as defined by claim 4, in which the meansmounting the track on the base comprises a plate secured to the track, apair of slide bars on the base supporting the plate for said transversehorizontal movement, a threaded nut on the plate, and a threaded rodsecured to the base passing through the nut and provided at one end witha handwheel.

7. In a contouring machine as defined by claim 1, in which the sub-baseis mounted on the table for tilting movements about the third axis by apair of arms extending from the table, and a pair of lugs extending fromthe sub-base and respectively pivoted thereto.

8. In a contouring machine as defined by claim 7, including a threadedrod threadably mounted in the table and engageable with the sub-base,and means for rotating the rod to tilt said sub-base.

9. In a contouring machine as defined by claim 1, in which the table isprovided with a threaded nut, a threaded rod secured to the bracketextending through the nut and provided with a handwheel for angularlyadjusting the table about the second axis.

10. In a contouring machine for elongated metal workpieces in which aplurality of pairs of parallel cooperating rolls are supported on thebase of the machine, said base including a movable support thereon forat least one of said pairs of rolls, means mounting said movable supporton the base for adjustably shifting the at least one pair of rolls invertical and horizontal planes relative to an adjacent pair of rolls andfor angularly adjusting the axes of the at least one pair of rollsrelative to the axes of the adjacent pair of rolls in horizontal andvertical planes, and means for locking said movable support in adjustedpositions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,242,135 Mertz May 13, 1941 2,327,706 Halstead Aug. 24, 1943 FOREIGNPATENTS 995,678 France Aug. 22, 1951

1. IN A CONTOURING MACHINE FOR ELONGATED METAL WORKPIECES HAVING APLURALITY OF PAIRS OF PARALLEL COOPERATING ROLLS SUPPORTED ON THE BASEOF THE MACHINE, SAID BASE INCLUDING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BRACKETAND MEANS MOUNTING THE BRACKET ON THE BASE FOR ANGULAR ADJUSTMENTSRELATIVE TO THE DIRECTION OF FEED OF THE WORKPIECE ABOUT A FIRST AXISWHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL, A TABLE MOUNTED ON THE BRACKET FORANGULAR ADJUSTMENTS ABOUT SECOND AXIS WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TOTHE FIRST AXIS, A SUB-BASE MOUNTED ON THE TABLE FOR TILTABLE ADJUSTMENTSABOUT A THIRD AXIS WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE SECOND AXIS, ANDMEANS MOUNTING ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF ROLLS ON SAID SUB-BASE.